Guidelines for Superheroic Activity
Registration with the Bureau The Bureau of Superhuman Affairs exists both to ensure that various heroes work toward the public good and also to offer support to legally sanctioned heroes. There are two kinds of legally sanctioned heroes, registered and unregistered. * No hero is required to register, though they are encouraged to get to know and cooperate with local law enforcement. * Registration is strictly voluntary, but even if one chooses to register, one may do so under a heroic identity rather than disclosing their "secret identity" or real life details. * Heroes who do not register are neither helped nor hindered by the Bureau, but all are legally required to follow the regulations noted below. Those who are caught violating those regulations will be considered in violation of the law. * For OOC purposes, many vigilante and anti-hero characters do violate the law; this is OOCly allowed, but such characters may not be on the best of terms with the government if said law-breaking is discovered. (This ranges from the more tame end, like Batman, to the extreme end, like Punisher.) Benefits of Bureau Registration * A superheroic identity is essentially created as a legal identity for the hero in question, allowing them to own property, have lines of credit, bank accounts, and otherwise participate in the world via this identity. The identity is granted tax-exempt status so long as it remains non-profit in nature. * The Bureau offers a minor stipend (enough to afford a cheap apartment and basic amenities) to registered heroes who work with local and federal law enforcement. * The Bureau provides law enforcement database access, legal representations, and other basic support services to all registered heroes. Obviously, abuse of these resources may result in a loss of privileges. * The Bureau offers trademark protection over the hero's name, likeness, and associated emblems. The registered hero must give legal consent to commercial use of any of these (lunchboxes and action figures, etc.) and is fully allowed to charge royalties for said use. Regulations for All Superheroic Activities The following In Character regulations apply to superheroic activity on the game. Anyone who breaks these regulations is breaking the law; obviously, there are many Anti-Heroes out there who are willing to break the law, but characters who do not wish to break the law should follow these regulations. * The law must be followed at all times. * Super-powered individuals are treated as legally armed, and they are fully responsible for the use of those powers. * Use of no more than reasonable force is required: lethal force should only be used as a last resort. * If anyone is killed, the hero (or an advocate) must submit a formal report of the incident to the Bureau of Superhuman Affairs. * Damage to public property is an accepted result of dealing with superhuman threats, but it should be kept as minimal as possible. * Large-scale threats, such as alien invasions, should be reported to the appropriate government agency. * When subdued or apprehended, criminals must be promptly delivered to the appropriate authorities. Additional Notes * A superhero, registered or not, may testify in court or otherwise legally represent themselves without ever being required to unmask themselves or identify themselves. They may operate entirely in their costumed/heroic identity. * Similarly, a masked/costumed individual who has been accused of a crime and apprehended may elect to remain masked while on trial until convicted. This way, a supernormal individual's secret identity may remain intact until they are proved guilty of a crime. * Characters with diplomatic immunity may use it as an excuse to avoid legal repercussions for law-breaking, though they will still have to deal with their reputation among other heroes based on their own actions. * Characters who are agents of groups like SHIELD with specific government authority or licenses are, like any law enforcement personnel, held to somewhat different standards than other characters; they answer to their parent organization first and foremost. (If your SHIELD agent has a license to kill, then they won't be answerable to the local cops for killing a terrorist.) * Minors may be registered via use of notarized consent from their legal guardians or from an established hero who takes official responsibility for them. (Services for anonymous notary, protecting the secret identities of the minor and his/her parents, are also available.) * Emancipated minors may register, if they choose, under their own authority. Practical OOC Concerns * It is to be assumed that the police/law enforcement will sometimes turn a blind eye to law-breaking. Batman is a good example: sometimes, he roughs up the thugs and such, but because he does not kill and gets results, the police tend to work with him despite his activities being illegal. * These rules do not exist to assume that if you break them then you will be caught. Obviously, characters who are careful break the law routinely without being caught. * These rules are not enforced on an OOC basis. They exist on the basis of In-Character Actions equal In-Character Consequences. * In general, these rules are here to A) remind players that heroes are subject to laws and must be careful if they choose to break them and B) to offer government support as an optional resource for those who want their characters to have it.